Calculating-machine.



A. F. DODSON. CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY31, 19%6- Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALGADA F. DODSON, OF MILAN, MISSOURI.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 31, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoAnA F. DoDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milan, in the county of Sullivan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in calculating machines, adapted for determining the cost of a selected amount of goods or merchandise, at a given price.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character, having a large range of calculation, and which is expeditious in operation, and convenient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, of a bearing for the upper roll, 7

Fig. 4; is a detail section through one end of the lower roll showing the spring means for turning the same to the starting position,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line 66 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the manually operated buttons or knobs,

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, with parts being broken away, of an operating wheel and pawl and ratchet means for turning the same, and,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a calculating device, table, chart or band.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a casing which is preferably rectangular. This casing has its top 11 provided with a longitudinal opening 12, such opening having one edge 13 thereof beveled.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1917.

Serial No. 100,946.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 1, this beveled edge 13 has a scale it formed thereon, embodying characters indicating the price per unit of goods or merchandise, such as the price per yard of fabric or cloth, while it is understood that the scale might just as well represent the price per unit for solids or liquids.

The numeral 15 designates a chart carrying roll, arranged in the lower portion of the casing 10, as shown. One end of this roll 15 is connected with a stub shaft or trunnion 16, rotatably mounted in an opening formed in a vertical standard 17, which is rigidly mounted in the casing 10. As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the opposite end of the roll 15 has a longitudinal opening 18 formed therein, receiving a torsional coil spring 19, one end of which is attached to the bottom wall of the opening 18. The opposite end of this coil spring is secured to a trunnion 20, rotatably mounted in the opening 18. The trunnion 20 is carried by a cap 21, having an extension 22, which is square in cross-section. The extension 22 is adapted to beheld stationary within a slotted bracket 23, attached to the end of the easing 10. The function of the spring 19 and associated elements is to provide means for automatically turning the roll 15 in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. at and 6, for winding up a chart thereon, to be described.

Arranged above the roll 15 and normally extending in parallel relation thereto is an upper roll 24. One end of this roll has a ball 25 rigidly attached thereto, which is rotatably mounted in a socket-bearing 26, secured to the end of the casing 10. The function of this ball and socket-bearing is permit of the proper rotation of the roll 2i,

while in a horizontal position, and permit of the opposite end of the roll being swung vcr tically, toward and away from the roll 15, for a purpose to be described. The opposite end of the roll 24 has a stubshaft 2T rigidly secured thereto, and operating within a ver tical elongated slot 28, formed in the standard 17. When the roll 21- is in the horizon tal position the stub-shaft 2? contacts with the bottom of the slot 28 and is rotatably supported thereby.

Means are provided to raise and lower the adjustable end of the roll 24, comprising a bell-crank lever 29, passed through an opening 30 in the casing 10, and pivotally-supported at 31. The lower end of the bellcrank lever is preferably provided with a key 32, by means of which the lever may be conveniently turned upon its pivot. The inner end of the lever 29 is provided with an enlarged head 33, having a slightly elongated opening 34 formed therein, rotatably receiving the stub-shaft 27. It is thus apparent that when the key 32 is depressed or moved toward th casing 10, the stub-shaft and its roll 24 will be elevated, the same automatically returning to the lower position by gravity when the bell-crank lever 29 is released.

Rigidly mounted upon the stub-shaft 27 is a gear or pinion 34, adapted to engage or mesh with a gear or pinion 35, arranged beneath it, and rotatably mounted upon a stub-shaft 36, carried by the standard 17. Particular attention is called to the fact that the gear 35 has no connection with the lower roll 15. When the upper roll 24 has one end thereof elevated, as above explained, the gear 34 disengages the gear 35.

The lower gear 35 is provided upon its outer side or face with an annular set of ratchet teeth 37, shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 8. These ratchet teeth are adapted to be engaged by a pawl 38, moved toward them by a spring 39, and pivoted upon a reciprocatory rod or plunger 40, operated through a vertical guide 41, and extending above the exterior of the casing 10. This rod 40 is provided at its upper end with a key or button 42, for its convenient operation. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, upon the downward movement of the rod 40, the gear 35 will be turned in the direction of its arrow, but this gear cannot turn in the opposite direction as it is held against such movement by a pawl 43, pivoted to a support 44.

It is obvious that the extent of turning movement that the gear 35 receives, upon the downward movement of the rod 40, depends upon the extent of downward movement of of the rod. Means are provided to control the extent of downward movement of the rod or operating element, comprising a finger, extension, or pin 48, rigidly attached to the lower end of the rod 40, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. This pin is arranged to operate above a control or stopmember or plate 46, having one end inclined and provided with a suitable number of steps 47, 47% 47 and 47, which number maybe widely varied. The member or plate carries a bar orextension 48, operating within a stationary grooved guide 49. The bar 48 is moved in one direction by a retractile coil spring 50, secured thereto and to the guide 49, the movement of the member 46 to the left being limited by its contact with the end of the casing 10. The bar 48 has uprights 51 rigidly connected therewith, near its ends, which in turn have rigid connection with an upper bar 52, provided with laterally extending pins or projections 53, 53 53", and 53, for a purpose to be more fully explained. The numerals 54, 54 54", and 54, designate manually operated knobs, buttons or members, arranged above thetop of the casing 10. Each knob has a depending shank 55, operating within a slot 56. Particular attention is called to the fact that the slot of the knob 54 is longer than the slot of the knob 54, the slot of the knob 54 is longer than the slot of the knob 54, and the slot of the knob 54 is longer than the slot of the knob 54", whereby each suc cessive knob to the right, is adapted to be moved for a greater distance, for a purpose to be described. Each shank 55 has connection with an inverted U-shaped holding member 57, slidably receiving the upper bar 52, and holding it against lateral displacement and having its forward end contacting with the pin bar 52. At this point it might be well to state that when a selected knob is moved to the right, the control member or plate 46 will be shifted to the right, bringing the coror extension 53 carried by the responding step thereof beneath the pin 48, 7

thus allowing the rod 40 to be moved downwardly a predetermined distance.

The numeral 58 designates a flexible band or strip, having a table 59 formed thereon. The band 58 has its lower portion attached to the lower roll 15 and is adapted to be wound thereon as indicated in Fig. 6, while the upper portion or" this band is secured to the upper roll 24 and is adapted to be wound thereon, as indicated in the same figure. The band is advanced in the direction of its arrow, during operation. This table is vertically and horizontally ruled, as shown at 60 and 61. The vertical and horizontal lines provide a vertical column 62, receiving characters designating the units of the goods, such as the fractions of a yard and yards of fabric to be vended, while it is to be understood that this table may just as well represent the units of solid'or liquid goods. Arranged opposite the characters representing the units of the length of material, in the vertical column 62, are horizontal columns 63, containing characters indicating the total cost of a given length of fabric indicated in the column 62, in accordance with the price per yard, as indicated in the scale 14. Thus, if it is desired to know the cost of three-fourths of a yard of cloth at six cents a yard, the fraction three-fourths is located in the vertical column 62, and the adjacent tical column directly beneath the numeral 6, in the scale 14. In this block the-numeral 5 appears, indicating the price of threefourths of a yard of cloth at six cents per yard.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Assuming that it is required to find the cost of two and one-fourth yards of cloth at 6 cents a yard, the operator will shift the knob 54 to the right, to the end of its travel, and temporarily retain it in this position. The bar as is moved to the right and the member l6 moved in the same direction so that the step 4L7 is brought directly beneath the pin 48. The rod 40 is depressed until the pin &8 contacts with the shoulder 47 and released, the rod moving upwardly by the action of the spring 40. This operation is repeated twice. Upon the downward movement of the rod 40, the pawl 38 contacts with the ratchet teeth 37, turning the gear 35 the proper distance. The knob 54: is now released and the spring 50 at once returns the controlling member 4:6 to its starting position. The knob 54 is now moved. to the right, for obtaining the cost of one-fourth of a yard of the cloth and retained in this position while the rod do is depressed to bring the pin 48" in contact with the step 47. The rod 40 again turns the wheel 35 a suitable distance. The turning movements of the wheel 35, as above indicated, is transmitted to the gear 34, which advances the band 58 a suitable distance. The operator then observes the scale upon the band 58 and it will be found that the measurement 2% in the vertical column 62 is adjacent the scale lhand is visible through the opening 12. The operator then goes down the horizontal column until the 14 is found, directly beneath the 6 in the scale 14, inclicating the total cost of the cloth. It is obvious that when it is desired to calculate the cost of one-half of a yard of cloth the knob 5% is moved to the right, to calculate the cost of three-fourths of a yard the knob 5Q is moved to the right, and to calculate the cost of a yard the knob 54; is moved to the right. To calculate the cost of two or more yards, the rod 4L0 is depressed a number of times corresponding to the number of yards. It is obvious that the machine may be so constructed that the cost of any fraction of a yard of cloth may be readily obtained, the fractions selected being used for the purpose of illustration only.

WVhen it is desired to reset the band 58, the knobs and the rod 40 are all in the starting position. The operator depresses the button 32, which at once brings the gear 34; out of engagement with the gear 85. The spring actuated roll 15 now rewinds the band 58 thereon, such band turning the upper roll 24 and the gear 3a. When the lever 29 is released, the gear 3i again gravitates into engagement with the gear It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the sul joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:-

1. In a calculating machine, calculating mechanism comprising a. rotatable member, a single manually operated reciprocatory member to advance the rotatable member through the entire extent of its travel, a reciprocatory controlling member arranged near the inner end of the single manually operated reciprocatory member and having steps to control the extent of movement of the single manually operated reciprocatory member, and means to move the reciprocatory controlling member selected distances.

2. In a calculating machine, calculating mechansm comprising a rotatable member, a single manually operated movable member to advance the rotatable member through the entire extent of its travel, a movable cont-rolling member arranged near the inner end of the single manually operated member and having steps to control the extent of movement of the single manually operated member, and a plurality of manually operated elements each of which is adapted to be moved a different distance and having connection with the movable controlling member to "positively advance the same in one direction and incapable of moving the controlling member in an opposite direction.

3. I11 a calculating machine, calculating mechanism comprising a rotatable member, a single manually operated member to advance the rotatable member through the entire extent of its travel, a reciprocatory controlling member arranged near the manually operated member and having steps to control the extent of movement of the single manually operated member, a plurality of separate manually operated elements each of which is adapted to be moved a different distance and having connection with the reciprocatory controlling member to positively move the same longitudinally in one direction and being incapable of moving the controlling member in an opposite direction, and means to move the controlling member in an opposite direction.

l. In a calculating machine, calculating mechanism comprising a rotatable member, a manually operated member to advance the rotatable member, a reciprocatory frame provided at one end with a stepped portion disposed adjacent the inner end of the manually operated member to control the extent of its movement, a support having a plurality of slots of difi'erent lengths which extend longitudinally of the reciprocatory frame, a plurality of pins carried by the upper portion of the reciprocatory frame, a plurality of devices slidably contacting with the upper portion of 10 the reciprocatory frame and contacting with the pins, and a corresponding number of knobs operating above the support and ALGADA F. DODSON.

Witnesses:

J. M. WATTENBARGER, O. A. DODSON.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

